Hydraulic wood splitting devices are known which are particularly suited for use in association with a tractor or like implement. Wood splitting devices of this nature are typically adapted for mounting on the associated implement, with a pressurized fluid source on the implement then providing power for operation of the splitter. These types of arrangements facilitate convenient and efficient wood splitting since mounting on the associated implement permits the wood splitter to be used at any desired location.
Commonly assigned application Ser. Nos. 385,787, filed June 7, 1982, and 380,687, filed May 21, 1982, illustrate hydraulically powered wood splitting devices which include self-elevating mechanisms for conveniently positioning the wood-supporting frame of the splitters in a plurality of vertical positions. Such arrangements are particularly convenient to use since the hydraulic actuator of the wood splitter itself can be employed for raising and lowering the wood-supporting frame. Such arrangements preferably include four-bar linkage mechanisms which maintain the wood-supporting frames in generally parallel relation to the ground, thus facilitating use at any selected elevation.
In the wood splitter arrangement disclosed in Ser. No. 385,787, a locking arrangement is provided for maintaining the wood-supporting frame of the splitter at the selected vertical position. The locking arrangement includes a pair of locking plates respectively fixedly connected to the lower links of each of the four-bar elevating linkage arrangements. Each locking plate defines a plurality of openings within which is positionable a latch pin carried by the upper link of the respective four-bar linkage. In order to adjust the height of the wood-supporting frame, the self-elevating mechanism is operatively connected with the hydraulically actuated ram of the splitter, and the ram then moved so that the elevating mechanism relieves the load on the latch pins. The latch pins can then be retracted from their respective locking plates, and the elevating mechanism further operated to reposition the wood-supporting frame at the desired elevation. The latching pins are then reinserted into their respective locking plates, with the splitter then ready for use at its new elevation.
While the provision of a self-elevating mechanism for a wood splitter greatly facilitates its convenient use, the above-described locking arrangement of application Ser. No. 385,787 can at times be difficult to use. Because the self-elevating mechanism cannot always be operated with precision, it is frequently difficult to use the mechanism for relieving the load on the latching pins of the arrangement, and then correctly vertically repositioning the wood-supporting frame so that the latching pins can be easily reinserted into their respective locking plates.
In view of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that it is desirable to provide a self-elevating wood splitter which includes a locking arrangement for its height adjusting mechanism which further facilitates convenient vertical repositioning of the wood-supporting frame of the splitter.